Fixture

Casella Hat Trick Sparks Green & Gold In Vital Win

A night of rain had raised doubts but, in view of the length of Newcastle Emlyn`s journey an early pitch inspection delivered the all clear. There were a few lingering puddles when the game got underway but the conditions overall were good and the rugby that was served up did them justice.

Young referee Richard Deacy of Monmouth made a pretty good fist of dealing with two sides both determined to gain the upper hand and, if the whistle was prominent in the first half it had certainly become much less of a distraction in the second period.

Beddau were happy to see a number of players returning from injury and will be hoping to welcome some more to the fold as the weeks roll on. For now an early break from Lewis Egal was a welcome sign that the centre who had been sidelined for 16 months is regaining his powers. His impressive run though fizzled out with a less than impressive pass. Similarly when Tom Slater gathered a loose ball and dashed through the defence his pace faltered and again the final offload didn`t reach its intended recipient.

By then Hywel Chatham had already opened the scoring when Emlyn were penalised for some side entry at a maul. When, following Slater`s break, a supporting runner was held back Chatham doubled the lead and all was set fair.

Emlyn, however struck back and won a penalty when a tackled player was not released. Some back chat brought it into range and Emlyn`s young outside half, Michael Jones, landed the points.

A counter attack by Beddau broke a period of attrition and a penalty was swiftly tapped and an accurate offload saw Joe Casella home for a try that went unconverted.

Penalties were still being shipped by both sides but it was Emlyn flanker Joel James with the double blow of being carded for killing the ball and bandaged as his own team mate had fallen onto his outstretched leg.

Soon Michael Jones was punishing a Beddau offence at the tackle but with the half drawing to a close the Beddau pack drove powerfully at their depleted opponents and the impressive Lloyd Evans completed the try. There was time for Michael Jones to line up another shot at goal but this one drifted wide and at half time it was 16-6.

Beddau went straight onto the attack at the resumption and a break from Hywel Chatham looked promising. The ball bobbed about a bit with nobody able to work it clear until an attempted interception saw it hit the ground where Joe Casella gobbled it up to straighten for a try that Hywel Chatham converted. Hardly had the dust settled than Sam Tiley and Tom Geere combined to stretch the defence with Joe Casella, on the wide outside finishing well with a curving run that rounded a couple of tacklers before touching down for Chatham to add a fine touchline conversion.

Thirty points to 6, job done. Not quite. A speedy break from a creaking scrum caught Beddau out. Sam Tiley got back to make a try-saving tackle but in holding on conceded a penalty and earned a yellow card. Emlyn kept it short and Number 8 Brynmor Jones finished a well constructed drive.

It needed a bit more from Emlyn to make it interesting and it duly arrived. Quick passing along the threequarters gave Llyr Jones a sniff and his speedy dart took him through for a very good score that Michael Jones improved.

Sam Tiley was now back on the field and if he had been demonstrating a hunger to get back into action from injury the yellow card hadn`t cooled his desire. A barnstorming run on the back of a well-judged pass from Hywel Chatham saw him reach the line. In his last contribution to the game Hywel Chatham converted before being replaced by Zac Byard. Marcus Jones had pierced the Emlyn defence befoe throwing a wayward pass but when Sam Tiley flew through a gap the try looked assured until the hapless Zac Byard dropped a straightforward pass.

Indiscipline then reared its ugly head as Beddau conceded the penalties to put Emlyn on the front foot. First replacement Gareth Thompson touched down at the posts before, with the last pass of the game winger Llyr Freeman rounded Joe Casella on the touchline to score in the corner, bringing the game to a close at 37-30.

In a mix and match pack Owen Cotton was making his 99th appearance while Sam Tiley, Jack Perkins and Rhys Owen are still in their teens. The pack, in this game, were excellent and if injuries allow, look set to carry Beddau into a much more optimistic end to a largely disappointing season.